Hogs Keep Up Intensity; Scrimmage Set for 6 p.m. Saturday

November 7, 2014

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas football team practiced in full pads for 90 minutes on the grass practice fields south of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Friday evening.

It was the second day in full pads for the Hogs who got their final work in before the first scrimmage of the 2007 season takes place inside Razorback Stadium on Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. Gates one and 10 will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the scrimmage at 5:30 p.m. The lower west-side stands will be available for fan seating.

“We had a good practice today,” Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt said. “I thought our guys moved around well on a really hot day. Their intensity was there, and they were listening. I feel like we are getting better.”

Sophomore tight end Ben Cleveland sat out Friday’s practice after suffering a neck stinger during Thursday’s workout.

“We didn’t have Ben Cleveland today, and you could really tell we missed him,” Nutt said. “He can really help us. Ben is an awfully tough guy. He has a stinger in the neck area, and he is fighting through it. He wanted to practice today, and you love his want to.”

The diagnosis of a bruised right knee for senior wide receiver Marcus Monk left Coach Nutt much more optimistic on Friday.

“I feel a lot better today after what the doctors said (about Monk),” Nutt said. “We will have to wait and see and make sure there is nothing torn (because of swelling). But the MRI showed that there wasn’t and the MRI’s are very accurate. We are hoping to get the swelling out and start rehabbing. The way Marcus his he will be there from daylight to dark to get well.”

Following Monk’s injury on Thursday the Hogs’ coaches used it as an opportunity to put black jersey’s (making the player off limits for the defense) on running backs Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, Peyton Hillis and Michael Smith, along with quarterback Casey Dick.

Following Saturday evening’s scrimmage, the Razorbacks will take Sunday off before returning to the practice field on Monday, Aug. 13.